Boring sponges living into precious corals from the Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Some new or little known sponge species living in the scler‐axis of colonies of Corallium elatius from the Japan Sea and Corallium sp. from Midway Islands (Pacific Ocean) have been studied. The assemblage is composed of five species: two of them are new (Holoxea excavans, Scantiletta macroxeata), Thoosa am‐phiasterina is recorded for the first time since its description, the very rare T. bulbosa and Dotona pulchella have been collected for the first time in the Pacific Ocean. The boring capacity of the genus Holoxea is assessed for the first time.

Key words:

• Boring sponges
• Corallium elatius
• Pacific Ocean